Lehmann bankrupt ! Merill Lynch Sold out !! Is AIG next ???Since the credit crisis began last yr, the financial markets are badly hit.
Bear Sterns fall, 6 months ago, created panic in the financial sector. The impact is not just US and financial industry. The impact is world over. Since the big banks play a major role in the economy of most countries, all the countries have been badly hit.What happens in such a market is quite evident. Job losses, panic in market, gloomy scenario about the future haunts everyone.
Is there something you can do to get rid of such unexpected situations.
The answer is a big "YES" and I am here to suggest a few alternatives.

We all know that we should have a plan B ready, in case plan A fails. But how many of us really think about plan B ??

Let's suppose you were working with Lehmann or with Merill or you're working somewhere and you dont feel job security. What you possibly do is to look at various alternatives:

1. What are you really good at, except the work you do in your office. May be you're a great Cook and you always thought of running a restaurant. Whatever happens to lehman or merill, you can always be sure that your hotel/restaurant will make money becoz people wont stop eating if there's a financial meltdown !!

2. Did you always felt a desire to teach your favorite subject but never had time to do so ?Why dont you start part time tuitions in Arts, Science or history at your home ? A part from doing what you love, you'll make yourself independent of a need for a job !!

3. Well, if you still want to be in the financial domain, what about a teaching faculty position in a business school, where you can use your current banking/finance experience. I am sure even after financial markets have crashed, you ll find a plenty of teaching positions related to your experience.

4. What if you are a spanish, Italian or a Chinese living in a country whose native language is none of these languages. You may start your own Foreign Language classes ! I am sure you never even thought about this !!

These are just a few of the oppurtunities.
So guys and gals, dont feel depressed about the current financial situations in the world.
Take it positively ! Such situations make a stronger person and prepare you for unexpected possibilities ahead !

Just look around you ! You'll find thousands of oppurtunities !!

Goa Trip with college buddies: 16 May-19 May 2008.

Planning for GOA:
It all started around mid April when one of my close friends, Lambu aka Pramod spread the virus of visiting Goa among us ( Me and my college buddies).Imagine college friends reunion, after almost 4 years ( we left college in 2004 and its 2008 now), that too in one of the most exciting, enthralling Tourist Spot in India- Goa.After a long series of email exchange among my close buddy group, we finally decided to reach Goa on 16th May 2008 and leave on 19 May 2008.So now we were gearing up for a great blast at Goa !! Yeppie, even the thought of reunion was superb- thanks to Lambu for pushing all for the Trip.
Finally the D Day arrived. I left my room in Mumbai at 12.00 pm and reached Goa at 4.00 pm. Was getting too excited to meet lovely old college guys after 4 yrs. After waiting for almost 2 hrs at the airport, 4 guys ( Sud, Daju, Chinu n Daddu) who were coming from Banglore arrived. Well, i cant express my feelings in words now. It was amazing to see all 4 of them. One looked slim, another one looked bald and yet another gave a 'DevDas' look !!! It was around 5.30 pm now.Our other two friends ( Ankit aka Ganja aka Homo, and Lambu) were expected at 7.15 pm. So we 5 headed towards Bosco, around 20 mins in Bus. We had some snacks there and came back to Airport at 7.15 to receive Ganja and Lambu.So now we were 7 people now.

Brief intro of crazy buddies:
Let me give a brief account about my crazy buddies to make this post interesting:

1. Lambu aka Pramod- You can easily make out when he talks that he's a businessman. He is the guy who, on one day, can convince you to buy a Nokia set claiming that Motorola sucks. On another day, he is the same guy who will convince you to buy Motorola ( becoz it is great in design, low cost, has more features- and he will say he is using it for 2 yrs) and will claim that Nokia sucks. He really is a decent guy. You'll notice his decency in one of the pics i have shown below.

2. Ganja aka Ankit- This guy was most excited after meeting all the old buddies. Well there's nothing new about it. He's always excited meeting Guys !! This guy can beat you in any race as he is most adventure-prone. He defeated every one in a GO-KARTING race. We believe that he takes care of his falling hair, more than his girlfriend ( if he cud ever make one !! ). Still the hair keeps falling every moment.

3. Sudd aka Sudhir- This guy keeps making faces and tries to copy me. I enjoy irritating him the most and will continue to do so !

4. Daju aka Servesh- Though this guy looks like a human being, he is not !! Well, do you think a normal human being can climb a coconut tree in just 30 secs and bring a coconut from the tree ??? He keeps entertaining you with his talks, which more you ask him to stop, more he continues !!

5. Daddu aka Satya- Dont know why this guy has become like a 'Devdas' ( Guy who has long beard, moustache and gives a saint look) ? Well, he seems to be most intellectual guy in the group. I mean yeah he is !

6. Chinu aka Chinmay - This guy is always smiling. You should see him while he is swimming- he makes weird faces while swimming- dont know why so ?

7. Bunnu aka myself - As they call me most of the time.

Finally, We got a room to stay:
We took a Chevrolet and headed for some place to stay. This was not the peak season so we expected somewhat decent rates, but the hotel rates were exorbitant. A hotel owner asked us 7500 for 3 night stay in a single room ( Was he kidding or had he gone mad ?).We left this place and moved to another hotel. As you know Lambu, he made us go from one hotel to another for almost 2 hrs and kept negogiating.Thanks again to decent Lambu, whose negotiating skills have always been a saviour. His Marwari style convinced the owner to rent us two big rooms at just 1800 per night. So we paid a total of 3600 for our stay.

DAY 1:BAGA Beach( 16th night): Baga beach looks great at night. It was full moon night and the view of sea was simply superb.This beach is a must visit for anyone visiting Goa. It is located in North Goa.

DAY 2:WATER SPORTS, HUKKA, SNOOKER( BAGA BEACH: 17th May

Enjoyed Parasailing, WaterScooter and Scary banana ride ( Scary becoz they will take you on a banana shaped boat, in the middle of the sea, and then the boat will be turned upside down). Banana ride and WaterScooter - I enjoyed the most. Parasailing was not that scary..

Here I am doing Parasailing( Courtesy: Ganja dear)


DAY 3:SOME FORTS,VAGATOR BEACH, GO KARTING ( 18th May)
Picture of decent Lambu, while staring a bikini-clad foreigner along with localites :))


Look at this guy, Can a normal human being do this ?? Crazy Fellow- Daju.


Shameless Ganja- Behaving as a race winner of GOKARTING race- though he came fifth !!

DAY 4: ( 19 May)GOOD BYE GOA:
It was time to bid adieu to my buddies and to Goa ! We hired a Chevrolet and moved towards Railway station as 4 of the guys had to catch train at 3.15 pm. We all hugged each other and left the railway station at around 3.45. Then the three of us (Ganja, Lambu and me) left for Airport. Our flight was at 6.30.We kept roaming at Airport. As the clock ticked 6.30, i moved to catch the flight to Mumbai and Ganja n Lambu moved to catch flight to Delhi. With this, the Goa chapter comes to an end. Good bye Goa, We will come again some day. We had a great n memorable time here.

One more thing: The best time to visit goa is from dec to march.There is no point in visiting Goa during June to Sep, as it is Off-season.

Bookmark my post in case you ever plan to visit Goa.